Of course, one of the most exciting parts of following football is being able to take part in your own small way via the use of fantasy football teams. You can use your skill and foresight to pick a team of players that you believe will accrue the most points throughout the season.

The whole process is usually, as you will already know, a long and drawn out one when it comes to deciding on which players to use. This is simply because you are usually only allowed to operate within a budget and have to get a good balance between the value of your players to fit them all in.

However, have you ever wondered what a fantasy football team would look like if each player was chosen from a different sport? Ever wondered just which players would be ideally suited to the different positions on a football pitch? Well, if you have not, you might just get around to doing it after reading on.

The fact is that looking at the strengths of what other sporting superstars would have will go a long way in helping you with your own fantasy football team selection as you will know what sort of strengths to look for. The strengths that each player selected has are the same sort of strengths that you would expect from a footballer in the same position.

Check out the team below and decide whether there are any positions where you might make any changes.

GK) Basketball – LeBron James  

Basketball players would be an excellent choice as goalkeepers for a number of reasons; they are tall, great with their hands and excellent at jumping. LeBron James has been recognized as the best basketball player in the sport for a number of years now so he should certainly get the nod in goal.

LB) Rugby – Richie McGraw

As you are well aware, full backs need a good mix of attacking flair and defensive steal, which is why New Zealand flanker Richie McGraw fits the bill perfectly. Full of pace and strength, he would be excellent going forward. That same strength, as well as fitness and his ability at tackling, would be ideal for his defensive duties.

CB) Boxing – Wladimir Klitschko

It is always good to have a strong centre back that shows no nonsense in his displays, like Wladimir Klitschko. No attacker would fancy coming up against the current heavyweight boxing champion of the world and attempting to get past him.

CB) Cricket – Alistair Cook

Whilst a defence needs the physical presence of somebody like Klitschko, you also need somebody that has the ability to bat away any balls into the box. There are so many great batsmen in cricket that are separated by very little, but a CB also needs to have experience which is why Alistair Cook gets the second centre back spot.

RB) Volleyball – Lee David

Volleyball is another sport that is about attack and defence combined within a team performance. Not only do the players have to try and help their team score, but they also have to be ready to make a last ditch block to prevent the opposition from scoring.

Lee David is one of the biggest names in the sport and he is especially well known for his blocking attributes, making him an excellent choice for right back. He can also help to create chance for his team in an attacking sense too.

LW) Golf – Rory McIlroy

A good winger needs to either be fast or have the ability to deliver excellent crosses into the box. If they had both it would be ideal, but a golfer is adept at hitting a ball right where they want it to land, which would make them a great choice on the wing. Rory McIlroy is undoubtedly the best golfer on the planet right now so gets the place on the left wing.

CM) NFL – Peyton Manning

Centre midfield is the engine room of the team and requires somebody that can pass the ball accurately and unlock defences. This is why the best quarterback in the NFL in Peyton Manning is the ideal choice here as he can pick the right pass whether short or long and can even run with the ball well.

CM) Poker – Daniel Negreanu

A centre midfielder needs to be creative, smart and have the ability to know when to attack or defend. Poker players would be perfect for this role as they understand strategy well, know when to be aggressive and have the bluffing skills required to fool their opponents. PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu has won more money than anybody else from poker tournaments in his lifetime and is the perfect choice for the middle of the park.

RW) Formula 1 – Lewis Hamilton

We already have the accurate golfer on one wing, so our team certainly needs some speed on the other wing. Lewis Hamilton is among the best racing drivers in the world so his pace would be perfect, as well as his ability to get past people.

CF) Football – Cristiano Ronaldo

Up front, there really is no contest right now and it just simply has to be the football player voted the best in the world for last season (and probably this one too). He has pace, can score with his feet and head and also gets plenty of assists too.

CF) Tennis – Rafa Nadal

Being able to strike a ball accurately, powerfully and clinically is what a good striker needs to do and Rafael Nadal has to be among the best strikers of a ball in all of sport. He can deliver deft shots from tight angles, can power shots through the middle and usually gives his opponents no chance at stopping them.